Page 56 of Filthy Little Pretties

Uh-oh. Joke’s over.

“No. I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” Grey counters, full of the high-handedness that’s so well practiced.

“And why is that?” the teacher responds, crossing his arms.

But Liam chuckles and points to the ceiling just as the bell sounds. They don’t hesitate, pulling me out of class past an angry teacher and whispers from the watching crowd. We get halfway down the hall before I stop laughing and make them quit basically dragging me.

“What are you two doing? I sense a plot.”

They both turn, full of irreverence. Grey bites that damn bottom lip, and Liam takes the toothpick out and tosses it in the trash before he licks his lips. I’m completely and undeniably overwhelmed. I feel like I have to hold my breath when they stare at me like this—at the same time with matching intentions. It’s too much déjà vu. Like any minute, they’ll pounce, and I’ll let them.

“Spill. What’s going on?”

My voice fades toward the end because Grey starts to circle one way as Liam goes around me the other way, making me switch my head back and forth, stumbling over my feet as I turn around, trying to track them.

“Seriously? What are we doing? You can’t be this excited about lunch.”

They glance at each other and back to me. Grey comes around the right side of me and leans in. “It’s October first.”

I shrug, shaking my head because he says it as though it’s supposed to mean something.

“Uh…I’m going to need a better clue than the date. Are we celebrating surviving the first month of school?”

They just keep circling like vultures while people make their way to classes around us, making me giggle again.

“You’re so dramatic. This better be good.”

I lock eyes with Grey and raise my brows for an answer, but it’s Liam who makes me jump from my left side when he whispers in my ear, “It’s Movie Madness.”

The hall becomes quiet as the bell rings again, and they wag their brows at me.

“What does Movie Madness mean, exactly?”

Standing in front of me, Grey takes my hand as Liam takes the other, pulling me forward as they walk backward.

“Van, we’re ditching. And don’t bother to say no, because we’ll stuff you in the trunk. This is a mandatory outing.”

Grey looks at Liam and nods his approval. “I like where your head’s at. Appropriate for where we’re going and really just ‘in the spirit’ of things.”

“Thank you. I try to stay authentic.”

I dig my feet in, making it harder for them to pull me—well, not really, but I try as I protest. “Unless it’s to become mobsters, I don’t see anything appropriate with being stuffed in a trunk.”

They pivot, each still holding one of my hands, and walk outside, bringing me with them. As we exit, we’re greeted by spirited yells from about ten other people, a mix of guys and girls congregated in the circular drive. The guys let me go as we all walk down the front steps and join the group.

High fives are given out between the boys, and I smile at the few girls hanging together. Grey laughs loudly with his back to me, and my patience runs out. I reach out and push Liam’s shoulder, but he looks down, unmoving, and blows me a kiss.

“Okay. Where are we going? You guys are the worst.”

Grey turns around quickly and holds out a plastic machete, the kind from a Halloween store painted with blood.

“You’re gonna need this.”

“What the fuck?”

The motorcycle I’m planted on kicks up, making me squeeze my arms tighter around Liam’s waist. We speed past Grey’s scowling face as I blow him a kiss into the air. Grey was so pissed when everyone loaded up and I spotted Liam’s sleek black Ducati. There was no way in hell that I wasn’t riding on the back of this beauty.

He revs again, and my thighs squeeze around him in reaction to the delicious vibration buzzing in all the right places. I can feel him laugh at me, but as my body relaxes, his hand leaves one of the handles and presses my thigh back into his strong leg. It’s only for a minute, and then his hand is back on the handle, but it’s enough to get my attention. Everywhere.